Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton waves to the crowd as he is recognized for playing in his 2,000th career Major League Baseball game, during the sixth inning of an interleague game against the Chicago White Sox, Thursday, June 30, 2011, in Denver.

Photo: Jack Dempsey, AP

Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton waves to the crowd as he...

From a memorable debut in 2005 to a perfect game Wednesday night, Todd Helton has followed Matt Cain's career path with a figurative tip of the cap.

"Anytime someone from Tennessee does well, I'm happy for him," Helton said at his Coors Field locker Thursday.

Back on Aug. 29, 2005, Cain made his big-league debut against the Rockies, and his defining moment came when facing his final batter, Helton. It was an at-bat that seemed to last forever.

Helton worked the count to 3-1 and hit a flood of foul balls. Cain had walked four batters in five innings, and the determined 20-year-old wasn't going to make it five. On the 14th pitch, Helton flied out to left.

Seven years later, he remembered the at-bat. "He's one of those guys, his stuff is so good, you've basically got to hit a mistake," said Helton, a career .208 career hitter (11-for-53 with two homers) off Cain.

Asked about Cain's progression, Helton said, "I would've thought he'd throw a no-hitter. I would've never thought he'd throw a perfect game. He pitches - or he used to pitch - effectively wild. He's always had great stuff. He elevates the ball some and walks some people, but he always had the stuff where you knew he could go out and throw a no-hitter."

Helton graduated from Central High School in Knoxville, Tenn., and was a two-sporter at the University of Tennessee, where he played quarterback during part of the Peyton Manning era. Cain got drafted out of Houston High in Germantown, Tenn.

Before the at-bat, Cain had thrown 89 pitches. Afterward, it was 103, enough for him to get pulled by manager Felipe Alou. Cain gave up two runs in five innings and lost 2-1, the first sign that run support wouldn't be his friend.

He was the fourth-youngest starter in the team's San Francisco history. Now he's the only one in franchise history with a perfect game.